Wound layered structures are known in the technological arts. Wound structures, such as rolls of paper materials, composite wound paper laminates, wound nonwoven structures, and wound electrode structures are well known.
One limitation relating to winding structures is the speed at which the winding occurs. Winding systems may be limited by the maximum speed at which a structure may effectively be wound. This speed may be lower than the speed at which individual components of the wound structure may be transported and provided to a winding station.
Some structures comprise material components which are sensitive to mechanical handling issues. These materials may require winding systems which minimize or eliminate any handling operations which subject the materials to tensile forces.
What is desired is a method and apparatus for winding a structure where the winding speed is decoupled from the material transport speed. The structure may be comprised of multiple discrete layers, or of a single layer. The method and apparatus may wind structures while subjecting component elements of the structure to little, if any tensile forces.